Atletico Madrid have completed a permanent deal for loanee Antoine Griezmann, bringing his unhappy three-year spell at Barcelona to an end.
He moved to the Nou Camp in a spectacular £103million deal in July 2019 but became a symbol of the club’s profligacy as financial issues set in.
Keen to save money by cutting the wage bill, Griezmann returned to Atleti on loan last summer and the arrangement was then extended for another year.
Due to the terms of their agreement with Barcelona, Simeone has often deployed him as a substitute to avoid activating a transfer clause.
It was a frustrating situation for all concerned, typically limiting Griezmann’s appearances to cameos of half an hour or less.
Following negotiations between the two clubs, a lower fee has been agreed, enabling the French international to return to his former club on a contract until 2026.
He will improve Atleti’s creativity and cutting edge from the start of games as they aim to catch Real Madrid and Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
Griezmann rose to prominence during his first stint at the Metropolitano Stadium, scoring 133 goals in 257 games across all competitions.
He became a talismanic figure and fan favourite, grabbing a brace in the final of the Europa League in 2018 as Atleti beat Marseille 3-0.
More game time will also boost Griezmann’s case to start at the World Cup next month as France look to defend their title.
Didier Deschamps has a wealth of attacking talent at his disposal, including the likes of Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud and Christopher Nkunku.
New options have emerged but Deschamps has traditionally shown great loyalty to players who have served him well in the past and Griezmann was key to their success in Russia four years ago.
